Messages

26

General Software Discussion / Re: Tracking firefox extension (add-on) updates - how?

« on: April 13, 2008, 02:37 PM »

Thank you, beermatt.  I haven't tried the compatibility tweak yet, but from the address of that rss feed you gave me I found the address of a browse function on the add-ons page which I never knew existed.  The "sort by" panel doesn't appear on the page I've always been using.

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General Software Discussion / Re: Tracking firefox extension (add-on) updates - how?

« on: April 12, 2008, 06:25 PM »

Well, Firefox automatically does that for you. By default, it checks for updates to your themes and extensions.

-Lashiec (April 12, 2008, 06:11 PM)

Yes, indeed, as did Firefox2, but how do I check for updates to extensions that I haven't installed?  As my configuration stands, I unfortunately can't install an incompatible extension, disable it and then have Firefox check for updates.  I seem to remember that my Firefox2 did allow this, so perhaps this is something I can tweak in Firefox3 - I shall try to find out.

And yes, in the case you want to track updates, WebSite-Watcher or a similar app with monitoring capabilities like Newzie would help.

-Lashiec (April 12, 2008, 06:11 PM)

Yes, it probably does need something like that - thanks for the suggestions.

28

General Software Discussion / Tracking firefox extension (add-on) updates - how?

« on: April 12, 2008, 10:15 AM »

I'm giving Firefox 3 Beta 5 a try, and yet again I find myself frustrated with the layout and interface of the Firefox Add-on site.  There seems no way to search for extension by compatibility except by guessing at search strings, and there is not much consistency in how the Firefox versions are mentioned in the descriptions.  This used to frustrate me already with Firefox2 every time there was a major update.

When browsing the site with Firefox 3.0b5 any compatible extensions show up with a green download button rather than grey, which enabled me to scan the pages 100 extensions at at time and find the compatible ones reasonably fast.  But having done that once, I'd love to be notified when any extensions are updated.  I can't find any rss feeds though.  Would this be something a website watcher could help me with?

But surely the actual interface to the database could be improved in the first place.  It's maddening.  Firefox itself can obviously distinguish between compatible and non-compatible just through the browser window (as oppose to via a tool) which makes me wonder if the relevant info can be found in the metadata of the rendered html somewhere.  I wonder if that's the kind of thing a greasemonkey script could ferret out, like the scripts people have written for Flickr.  (Mind you, greasemonkey is not yet 3.0b5 compatible.)

29

Living Room / Re: Most useless

« on: April 11, 2008, 09:43 AM »

Those "cats" are still useful actually: see LibraryThing.  I have one.

2. Ornaments and coffe-table books.

3. A fancy mouse mat pad from a museum shop - neither ball nor optical mice could cope with it.

30

Post New Requests Here / Re: IDEA: Timer program to budget where time is spent

« on: April 10, 2008, 06:28 PM »

First thoughts:

What are you doing it for?  Is it primarily about jumping from task to task?  Or about time slipping away while you're focused on just one thing?  Or about keeping track of all those transition times like getting ready to go out which seem to take forever?  To track where your time goes 24/7 is a very ambitious project, so make sure you're working at the right level of detail for it to be practical.  You might be better off at first tracking just a part of your life.  Not only do your activities have different rhythms in different life-areas, but timing and tracking tools will suit some areas better than others.

The nearest I could think of to a catch-all would be using your phone, since it is so portable.  What operating system does it run?   There might be an application out there ready to use - or at least something tweakable and workable.  I can't imagine LogMeIn being useful though since it takes a while to start up every time - whatever you use probably needs to be simple and quickly accessible.  If you made frequent notes in plain text/memos (your email program if it's easy to access - why not?), using shortcuts, auto-complete or macros to enter "start" "stop" and "time now", you could probably get a good log going with very few taps/key presses.  That is the kind of raw data that you could easily copy into a spreadsheet and analyse from there.

31

Announce Your Software/Service/Product / Re: Find and remove duplicate files

« on: April 07, 2008, 12:12 PM »

To me the problem with other duplicate file finders is that when I scan for example my "my documents" folder I end up with a list of 10.000+ clone files and it is very time consuming to try to decide for each file whether I want to keep it or not. With Clone Tools this work is much easier since the clones are presented in a the side by side browser which gives a great overview of where the clone are located. Also there are tools to quickly merge the content of one folder to another or clean all shared duplicate content between two folders.

-Kristian_CE (April 07, 2008, 10:37 AM)

This would make all the difference to me.  I've used duplicate finders from time to time and been frustrated by that very problem.

32

General Software Discussion / Re: Firefox Portable vs Regular Firefox

« on: March 28, 2008, 03:10 PM »

I've been using Firefox portable for about 18 months, but run from my data partition rather than a usb drive (although I've tested it on the usb drive).  I sync lots of portable apps between my two laptops and it makes life much easier for me.  I think originally I copied stuff over from a non-portable installation, but plugin upgrades all seem to work smoothly.

I've set it as the default browser and most applications recognise it - but not quite all. 

33

General Software Discussion / SyncbackSE Fast Backup - my way of avoiding mishaps

« on: March 18, 2008, 02:54 PM »

The normal backup mode for SyncbackSE is to scan files on both source and destination, but its Fast Backup mode assumes you have made no changes on the destination and backs up according to changes only on the source.  I thought this might be useful for my annoyingly large Scrapbook folders, but sometimes the destination files will have changed (because of the way I use my USB thumb drives) and so I will need to disable Fast Backup from time to time.  I'm not very good at remembering to do that kind of thing but I thought of using the SyncbackSE "Programs Before" settings to run a little script as a (hopefully) fail-safe reminder.

The "Programs before" can be set to abort the profile if the program fails to execute or if the program returns something other than a specific value.  So, when I click to run the Fast Backup profile, it runs my compiled AHK script.  The script asks me to confirm that the destination files have not been changed.  If I choose "Yes" the profile runs.  If I choose "No" the profile fails. 

My tiny script:

Code: AutoIt [Select]

1. MsgBox, 4, , Is it OK to run this Fast Backup?  Choose "Yes" to confirm that the destination files have not been changed since the last Fast Backup on this computer.
2. IfMsgBox, No
3.     Exit, 1
4. ; Otherwise, the user picked yes.
5. MsgBox You pressed YES.

34

General Software Discussion / Re: I'm looking for a Pink Noise Generator for Windows

« on: March 11, 2008, 10:20 AM »

I did a lot of searching a few months ago, and ended up using and liking Serene Sounds.  I like to combine the white/pink/brown noise with some waves.  You can add blizzards, fires or hurricanes if it suits you.

I wish it would save the settings when it's paused or stopped (and I emailed the author about it) but other than that I am very happy with it.

35

Mouser's Zone / Re: Multi-browser Bookmark Synchronization Tool and Other Multi-Browser Ideas?

« on: March 09, 2008, 03:56 AM »

miTaggedMarks works similarly to Powermarks - I've registered and used both.  The extra panels and tabs in the miTaggedMarks GUI make some tagging and organising tasks easier than Powermarks, but I find Powermarks easier to use for retrieving bookmarks.

36

Find And Run Robot / Bug? (FARR) circular non-exitable error messages when plugin not installed

« on: March 01, 2008, 04:54 PM »

I forgot I hadn't installed locate32 on this laptop, but I called it with FARR ("loc...").  I was then stuck between the advanced configuration box and the error message -  cancelling or exiting one lead to the other - ad infinitum.   Not earth-shatteringly bad but rather annoying.

No updates needed on my FARR (I assume that means latest version).

Going to find Locate32 now...

Edit:  My bad  - in case this is not reproducable, it could be because I do have locate "installed", but it's in a special folder on my second partition.  Perhaps if it had not been installed at all this would not have happened.  Anyway, I shall point it to the right place now and hopefully the ad infinitum will stop.

37

General Software Discussion / Re: SQLNotes...what is it exactly?

« on: February 27, 2008, 04:17 PM »

It is only conceptually "special". In practice it is the same as the others. All filters get ANDed

-PPLandry (February 27, 2008, 04:15 PM)

Conceptually - I was looking for that word!  I settled for quotation marks around "special" instead.   

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General Software Discussion / Re: SQLNotes...what is it exactly?

« on: February 27, 2008, 04:15 PM »

I wonder whether you would be able to expand a little more on this (very old) post, Pierre.  I found it quite useful and I would probably enjoy if you went "on and on" for a few more sentences at least...

A question for you PPLaundry. Although it is a *HUGE* reason to buy SQLNotes, as it would take thousands and thousands of manhours of coding to do, but would you say that SQLnotes is like taking MSAcess and pre--building hundreds, or thousands, of customizable views? I am asking, because I am trying to understand what is at the raw core of SQLnotes.

-tinjaw (December 03, 2007, 12:29 PM)

No, the concept is very different. In Access, you work with tables. Adding fields requires to lock the table and cannot be done if other users have it opened. Linking between tables requires database knowledge. Equations must be done through code. Outlines and hierarchy is non-existant and I could go on and on.
Yes JET is used for storage, but SQLNotes and Access are very different

-PPLandry (December 03, 2007, 12:35 PM)

39

General Software Discussion / Re: SQLNotes...what is it exactly?

« on: February 27, 2008, 04:12 PM »

The use of the term Folders (as a container) only makes sense for checkmark fields (yes/no).

-PPLandry (February 27, 2008, 03:48 PM)

Ah - that usage suddenly makes much more sense.  I hadn't realised the name was not being applied more generally.

Items are "in" a folder. Also, it is convenient to visualize grids as displaying items that are in a given folder.

Which makes great sense once you understand that the whole point of the grid is a filter on a Yes/No field.  It took me a while to realise this - there are so many filters and view options that can apply to a grid that I didn't grasp that the core filter, the source, is "special" because it defines the grid. 

40

General Software Discussion / Re: SQLNotes...what is it exactly?

« on: February 27, 2008, 04:00 PM »

I have some name suggestions.   I was thinking of how to show that it deals with all your data in different forms, and that it not only shows it but can manipulate it and calculate from it.

From the idea that you can view your data from different angles, I thought of holographs - so what about Holodata, or Holonotes? 

On the same lines, I thought of Amphidata or Ambidata (since it works as database, spreadsheet, outliner etc). 

Then on the theme of meshing and intersections, how about Filodata, Cordodata, Datacrux or Datasect.

As to analysing notes, how about Notalyser (or Notalyzer)?

41

General Software Discussion / Re: SQLNotes...what is it exactly?

« on: February 27, 2008, 03:43 PM »

Changing the subject - I have a quick question about some nomenclature.  I was never an Ecco user, but am I right in thinking that the name "folder" for "field" comes from the Ecco usage? Is there any other tradition of calling fields folders?  I found the term "folders" quite confusing when I was trying to understand how it worked, but I am curious if this is a standard usage.

42

General Software Discussion / Re: SuperboyAC's DC blog #2 (Live Search feature in software)

« on: February 26, 2008, 05:09 PM »

My most-used Thunderbird extension, called Nostalgy, is a tool for quick moving and copying emails between folders, as well as quick navigation to the folders.  I find it incredibly fast and easy to use.  It uses simple and configurable keyboard shortcuts for its folder completion box which appears instantly as a popup from the status bar.  Eg I type "s fam" and enter and the current email gets saved to "family" folder (or I could use c for copy or g for go). 

43

General Software Discussion / Re: SQLNotes...what is it exactly?

« on: February 24, 2008, 04:41 PM »

Thank you, superboyac and Armando, and all contributors here!  It was a long thread, but it broke the ice of my understanding about how this program works.  And thank you, PPL, for all your posts here.  I hope you are still around and reading -  I'd prefer to post here for now but let me know if you want me to cross-post onto your forum.

I'm more than curious to try SQLNotes but I'd like to understand just a little better how it can play as a relational database.  The reason I ask is that although I'm no expert, I have used Access and HanDBase before, both of which are relational, and I know how to go about creating fields and items in that kind of structure.  I just can't get my head around how that translates to SQLNotes.  I'm going to play with a few items and fields and grids, but if anyone has already been through this thought process and can give me some pertinent metaphors or examples, I'd be really grateful.

An example of the "relational" sort of thing I would want to use it for is a historical work database for my singing gigs (to help me remember what I've done!).  I would be listing jobs, singers, conductors, venues, dates of performances, works performed etc.  Any given singer might have performed in any number of jobs with me, any work might have been performed in any number of jobs, any job might have many works performed and even more than one conductor, and a work would have a composer and might have other properties such as translation or edition.

I've been seriously considering using a wiki for this, but although I love wikis I find them a bit slow and/or clunky, and even in the clever Wikidpad, where it's possible to auto-extract lists of "items" with certain "fields", I would have to learn some python (a lot for a beginner like me!) to generate useful lists and views.  I considered a serious database solution but HanDBase on the desktop has a horrible GUI and I try to avoid MSOffice as much as possible.  I have a feeling SQLNotes would be ideal here.

I have various lists and spreadsheets dotted around (in Excel, in PhatNotes, in an old Wikidpad, and in Outlook) that I would love to consolidate.  I've procrastinated the consolidation (and the historical work database) because I imagined I could find something sophisticated enough but also syncable with palm/windows mobile, but I find that more and more I use my handheld as a static device, to which I write information, but on which I edit very little.  So now I'm after something that works best for me on the desktop but which can export to readable formats like HTML or to spreadsheets.

44

Post New Requests Here / Re: IDEA: port-apps launcher (auto-create shortcuts to exe's within a directory)

« on: February 11, 2008, 07:44 PM »

Thank you!  That is a tremendous help for my navigation and laptop syncing.  It's great. 

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Post New Requests Here / Re: IDEA: port-apps launcher (auto-create shortcuts to exe's within a directory)

« on: February 11, 2008, 10:48 AM »

Thank you, Skrommel.   

ShortcutFolder successfully generated a load of shortcuts but unfortunately it's not really usable because there are shortcuts to over 150 Portable Gimp plug ins, various uninstall exe's, and some extra exe's with deceivingly similar names inside "App" folders.

If it's not possible to stop the search loop in any given path once an exe has been found (as per my description below) then could it be an option to select how many levels of subdirectory to search?  That would pretty much solve this for me.

By the way, I couldn't get Shortcutter to work.  I tried to insert or edit but clicking on "browse" gave me the message "Press OK to continue".

46

Post New Requests Here / IDEA: port-apps launcher (auto-create shortcuts to exe's within a directory)

« on: February 10, 2008, 12:23 PM »

I run quite a lot of portable apps, although mostly from a folder on my hard drive.  I like to back them up onto usb drives and also copy them directly between my two laptops. 

I'd like a program that would create a folder full of nothing but shortcuts pointing to the various apps in my portable folder.  This way, if I move the apps around, create directories, rename things etc, I could easily auto-generate the shortcuts again.  The shortcut folder could then be added onto my desktop or as a taskbar toolbar in an instant.

Here's how I imagine it working (slightly inspired by the recent IconAnyFolder coding snack):  The shortcut creator would allow me to designate the top level directory, and then it would create shortcuts to any .exe file in that folder, and then search recursively one level down and add shortcuts to any .exe files it found there.  Any folders not including an .exe file would be searched further, and so on.

Well, that's what would work for me, since occasionally I have older versions and messy stuff like that stored within the folders of newer versions, and so I wouldn't want the shortcut creator to find them.  Also, many of the portable apps have executable plugins within their directories, which I wouldn't want shortcuts to.  But I imagine it could be configurable to either find all .exe's or to stop searching recursively at each found .exe as I suggest above.

Does anything like this exist already?  If not, any takers?

47

Announce Your Software/Service/Product / Re: Deductoid puzzle game

« on: February 06, 2008, 07:06 PM »

I'm just getting the hang of how it works and I like it, but...

When I (accidentally) scroll with my middle mouse wheel, the program suddenly scrolls through the levels (4x4, 5x5 etc), and my current game is reset!  Even if this depends on where my focus was (and after experimenting I don't think it does) it is disconcertingly unpredictable and annoying.

Your manual download and the DC don't actually cover all the same ground.  You've missed off the "is not next to" in the pdf manual, which threw me.

But I read both help guides and worked it out, and I am enjoying it.  Thank you for the game.

Edited to hide my previous nonsensical stuff behind spoiler tag (I had momentarily mistaken the "is not next to" for the "is between" symbol).

Spoiler

I just came across something I don't understand (in game 5).  In the online DC guide, under "is not next to" it says "This clue tells you that the two tiles shown are not in adjacent columns in the grid"  But in this game there are three tiles in this clue, in the horizontal row section (see screenshot below).

48

Living Room / "Scout badge" for tech stuff - what did you just accomplish for the first time?

« on: February 05, 2008, 07:46 PM »

Today I searched for and installed drivers for everything from sound to webcam on my new laptop, as part of my "upgrade" from the supplied Windows Vista to good old XP. 

I'd installed plenty of drivers in my time but I'd never had to deal with things like finding out which chipset was in my laptop.  I used Belarc advisor, Aida32, and lots of googling, and it was all successful.   

It's not major, but I learned a lot and feel rather chuffed.

49

General Software Discussion / Re: How much email do you keep…and why?

« on: February 05, 2008, 06:54 PM »

I have a slight pack rat mentality, so I tend to want to keep things "just in case" - although after a while it becomes clear to me whether or not I really want to keep it.  The problem is, that "after a while" can be a week or 3 years, and so where should I put it in the meantime?

Hence I try to sort everything into discrete categories, and every now and then, on a rainy Sunday afternoon, I will purge a folder or two.  I still manage to have a 1Gb archive though, from 10 years of personal and (self-employed) business emails, about half of which I've never got round to purging.

50

Living Room / Re: myIPneighbors - site shows you how many other accounts on your shared hostin

« on: February 04, 2008, 06:32 AM »

It's a reminder not to register your personal sites (or even just your personal email addresses) to the same IP address as your professional stuff - I don't know why that never occured to me before.